Book Review: "The Golem's Eye" by Jonathan Stroud

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

Two years later, Nathaniel has a new guardian and a new job in the government. Still set on proving himself, he makes it his goal to find out what sort of being is causing chaos in London. Not to mention trying to uncover the secret group of people resisting the magicians.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Nathaniel still believes in the magicians and their rule. He is eager to prove himself and well aware of the fact that no one does anything against their interest. He doesn't really have any friends and his main goal is still to keep the goodwill he got from the Prime Minister in the end of the last story. His job is rather menial, working at Internal Affairs. That is, until he is tasked with revealing the Resistance.

Bartimaus is furious to be back working for Nathaniel. He still has insights into Nathaniel, hinting at his master's conscience and noting how he has changed.

Jessica Whithall is Nathaniel's new teacher. She is slightly less horrible than Underwood, but she has no affection for her pupil. She isn't in the book much.

Jane Farrar is introduced as another young magician. The only interest she seems to have in Nathaniel is getting secrets out of him.

Kitty Jones is the same girl from the first book. Due to a dramatic injustice of her childhood, she eventually joined a group of people who wish to resit the magicians.

Makepiece is a writer who creates plays. He knows all the higher ups in the government. He seems strange but harmless.

PACING

The pacing is just as fast as the previous story. Not only do we get Bartimaus' and Nathaniel's stories, we also get a third story, Kitty's. The story bounces back and fourth between these three plots.

STRUCTURE-SPOILERS

The structure is similar to the last story, where the beginning portion of the book is where we learn the history of a character (Kitty) and how she got to where she is when she is first introduced.

In part one, we see Nathaniel and Bartimaus both working apart. We meet Kitty and learn about some of her past. In the end of the first part Nathaniel and Bartimaus are reunited.

In part two, we meet Kitty's group of friends, as well as learn of how she never received justice for the crime committed against her. We learn how she meets a man called Pennyfeather, learns about her own ability, and meets a new group of people. Their big plan is set in motion. Nathaniel gets an assignment to travel.

In part three, Nathaniel investigates golems while meeting a contact. A familiar enemy returns but Nathaniel escapes. Kitty and her group enact their plan but it goes wrong.

In part four, Kitty and Nathaniel finally collide. Bartimaus tracks down a newly released monster then he, Kitty and Nathaniel face the golem.

HUMOR

The same charming humor that Bartimaus supplied in “The Amulet of Samarkand” returns. The humor helps the story by adding levity to an otherwise serious book.

TWO SIDES

An interesting aspect to these story that is different than the first, is that we are essentially reading about two opposing forces. Nathaniel wants to stop the resistance and find the leaders. Kitty wants to overthrow the magicians and steal magical items. I still liked Nathaniel, even though I was completely rooting for Kitty all the way. Kitty, like Bartimaus, has a humbling effect on Nathaniel. Also, she presents a view that he doesn't understand at all, just like Bartimaus does.

We also learn that the commoners are kept in the dark to how the magician's use their magic. Kitty debates with her friend if demons are even real which surprised me.

RESILIENCE

Nathaniel notes that all of his demons that go undercover are mocked and called names, as if their disguises don't work; Kitty isn't believed in court when she says she was attacked like her friend. Eventually we learn about a skill that some people possess. The hints are there from the beginning, but I liked how it was revealed.

TERROR IN THE TOMB

There is a portion of the story that added a touch of horror. Kitty and her friends get informed of a weapon to steal and end up all going at night to retrieve it. Things seem to be going well but Kitty discovers something disturbing. She knows this has to be a trap.

To make matters worse, she suddenly decides this is all wrong, not just what her group has been doing, but what they are currently doing. It was horrifying to realize all of this before anything even happens. So when it did, I was already terrified. I knew something awful had to happen. And when it did, I wasn't disappointed.

MORE THAN A VICTIM

Kitty, like Nathaniel has had a horrible childhood. Although for her, it was merely one incident that destroyed hers. While for Nathaniel is was a few. But again, it's not her victimhood that makes her likable. It's her naivete that she can change things, then her realization that she never stood a chance.

From there we see her evolve and harden. But that's only her first arc, as later on, during a climatic scene, she suddenly receives a revelation about what she has been doing. It seems to come from her out of nowhere, but it occurs just before a dramatic scene. I kept thinking, if only you had realized that before.

Also, she seems very tough before all of this goes down. And when she finally breaks down and cries, two different times, it was very rewarding. Because we saw she wasn't as strong as she wanted everyone to think. She was still just a girl.

LITTLE PUZZLE PIECES

There are certain aspects of the book that you might not catch. Like when Kitty gets a gift from a friend's grandmother: a silver pendant. It seems to mean nothing. But later we learn that it actually saved Kitty's life, although she isn't aware of it.

A friend of Kitty's manages to get revenge on the man who hurt him. He tells Kitty his plan, but it seems rather lame. That is, until Nathaniel and the other magicians witness this man's demise. The magician's don't know how it happened. But we realize it's because of the book he read out of.

I appreciated these little touches, although at first I was rather shocked at the death of Tallow.

TROUBLE ON ALL SIDES-VAGUE SPOILERS

Nathaniel thinks he only has to worry about the Resistance, finding Kitty, and discovering the truth about the golem. But it turns out he has an enemy he wasn't paying attention to. An acquaintance in the government shows up out of the blue, completely ruining his plans.

It was a good twist that allowed Kitty time with Bartimaus alone. She learns about demons for the first time, and exposes her weakness, breaking down and crying.

THE MYSTERIOUS MAN

Pennyfeather had a man called Mr. Hopkins tell him about where certain magical items were. But there was a second man involved. When it backfires, Kitty realizes she was set up. But she never actually saw this second man she spoke to. His identity remains a mystery.

NATHANIEL'S PROMISE

While traveling abroad, Nathaniel meets a man whose children are being held hostage. He promises the man to free them, then later says it's not important. The decision he makes after the climax helps reveal more about his character.

CLIMAX

Nathaniel, Kitty and Bartimaus ending up facing an enemy, as well as the golem. It's eventually destroyed. Bartimaus tells a white lie. Then they find out who created the golem.

A PASSIVE HERO?

Nathaniel ends up having nothing to do with destroying the golem in the climax. I wasn't annoyed, as I had faith that his lack of involvement would be important to the next book. I knew a certain character would have to return, and in order for them to be safe, Nathaniel couldn't have any knowledge of them. Also, the ending had a profound impact on Nathaniel, and will no doubt continue to do so, in the last book.

CONCLUSION

Stroud creates a sequel that expands the world he created by introducing Kitty Jones. She adds a new dimension to the story: we are fully exposed to the evil of the magicians. The element of horror adds suspense and terror while the twists and turns that finally lead Nathaniel and Kitty together work like a well thought out puzzle. I give “The Golem's Eye” five stars.

Book Review: "The Amulet of Samarkand" by Jonathan Stroud

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

Young Nathaniel is taken from his parents when he is too young to remember them. Then he is brought up by a teacher so as to learn how to be a magician. Only special people have the ability to do magic, and the source of all magic are demons who are summoned and enslaved. A dramatic even leads young Nathaniel to summon the demon, Bartimaus, in secret. From then on a fast paced chain of events leads him from a road he cannot come back from.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Nathaniel is a young boy who is rather lonely and abused by his teacher. He is secretly rather smart, but keeps up the act of an obedient student. But he is also rather rash.

Bartimaus is a djinni who despises all of humanity (or so he claims) and makes fun of his master whenever he can. He is rather witty. He also evens out Nathaniel's naivete: he is not afraid to admit defeat or run from battle. He would rather use his brain than his strength. Like all djinni, he shapeshifts.

Underwood is an older man with a rather simple understanding of magic and modest skills. He is selfish and cruel, often putting Nathaniel at risk and physically abusing him.

Ms. Lutyens is Nathaniel's art teacher and the only teacher that shows him any kindness.

Simon Lovelace is an acquaintance of Underwood and a fellow government worker. However he is more skilled at summoning and has more knowledge. He has no love for commoners and children in general.

Martha Underwood is the wife of Underwood. The older lady is kind to Nathaniel and beside's Mrs. Lutyens, the only friend he has.

PACING

The story goes back and forth from Nathaniel to Bartimaus. This keeps the pacing fast. And although in the beginning of the book we get a history lesson about Nathaniel, it is never dull and all the information given is crucial to the story.

We essentially learn how Nathaniel go the point where the story started: when he first summons Bartimaus.

Chapters often end at cliffhangers and Bartimaus gets into predicaments that seem hopeless. But before we can find out how he escapes, we switch back to Nathaniel, who has his own crisis to deal with.

The pacing is that good. And even before we have learned about Nathaniel's past and the world he lives in, we are getting lots of action from Bartimaus' adventures. As well as mystery and suspense when it comes to Lovelace and his mysterious friend.

STRUCTURE

The story is broken into three parts.

The first part of the story is where we learn about Nathaniel's history as well as the world he lives in. It goes back and forth between these occurrences and the current story, where Bartimaus attempts to retrieve the amulet of Samarkand.

Part two is still a history lesson, and bouces back between the history and Bartimaus' spying on Lovelace. It ends with Nathaniel regaining power over Bartimaus.

In part three the story goes from seeking vengeance for vanity, to stopping someone who may want to overthrow the current government's regime.

A MAGICIAN'S WORLD-SPOILERS

In Stroud's world, the magicians have rose up and overtaken the government, which had been previously been run by “commoners”. They paint themselves as the saviors of their country by protecting them from other magicians. Although they don't care much for the non-magicians. They run everything, including the schools, and they make all of the laws.

For the most part the people are obedient, just wanting to get by. But their place in life is already set, as they can only do menial tasks. From Nathaniel's eyes, the magicians are the good guys. Bartimaus disagrees.

There is more than just the type of government to learn about. Their are different types of demons.; Magician's wear contacts to see things they couldn't normally.

There is the great, William Gladstone; Not to mention how magician's view commoners and how they view demons.

Young children with a propensity to be magicians are given up by their parents for money and then given to a magician to teach and raise them. Then they are eventually renamed.

Every detail feels important to the story as it reveals how the world is, how people think, and how Nathaniel will think.

A DETAILED HISTORY

Bartimaus' past is as detailed as the current world that Nathaniel lives in. The story is full of footnotes. Sometimes these notes tell us more about the current even we are reading about, other times we get information about Bartimaus' long life and career as a summoned djinni. The majority of these were interesting or hilarious. Sometimes both.

I skimmed over very few of them.

The thing that was nice was, Stroud didn't tend to add things for the sake of it. To show he had a long history for a character that had nothing to to do with anything. Certain authors do this, showing there skill for a detailed world perhaps to make up for their lack of character likability and depth.

But these footnotes only added to my enjoyment of the story.

CHARACTER ARCS

There are different arcs at different times. For instance, although abused by Underwood on a regular basis, Nathaniel doesn't decide to fully abandon his loyalty to his teacher until one drastic event. After that, he realizes his teacher is not his protector and he has no loyalty to him. Not that he would want to see him hurt.

From then on, Nathaniel pretends to be meek and obedient, all the while secretly learning things well belong his capability. He had done some of this before, but is secret rebellion flourishes now.

After a second drastic event, whereupon Nathaniel no longer has a safe place to reside he is pushed into acting. His character takes more direct action, for the first time in the story. This arc leads to the climax of the story.

A FLAWED HERO

One of the strong points of the story is that both main characters are likable, even though they are presented as being quite flawed individuals. Nathaniel is naive, vengeful, angry and selfish. And yet I still found myself rooting for him the entire book.

It's not merely the fact that he has been abused that caused me to care for him. I have read many books with unlikable characters who were victims of some injustice. I knew there was good in Nathaniel. He had just been abused so badly that it was hard for even him to recognize it. But his love for Ms. Lutyens and Martha helped immensely. And although Nathaniel believes the magicians are a force for good, it's quite obvious to the reader that this is not so.

Even so, we know our hero is young, sheltered and naive. I had hope he would change.

AN ALLY?

Bartimaus could have easily come across as cruel and evil. Instead he was hilarious, and I could never really believe he would hurt Nathaniel. If he had been allowed to, all my sympathy for him would have vanished. Since he never was, I liked him. He provided insights not only into the magicians, but also into Nathaniel that added depth to the story.

Also, there are hints that he doesn't hate all of humanity like he claims. He saves an innocent child, framing it as something of an accident. Also, he keeps reverting back to the form of a young egyptian boy, hinting that there was once someone he quite respected.

VENGEANCE OR GUILT?

After Nathaniel accidentally causes a horrible incident, he vows vengeance. He says he will dismiss Bartimaus only after that. But Bartimaus knows its more than that, he points out it's guilt that pushes Nathaniel forward.

He wants to feel better, and his aim isn't as noble as he makes it out to be: mainly, stopping a man from trying to overturn the government and take power from himself. Once again, Bartimaus adds depth to the story. Painting it out for the reader if it isn't already obvious. And causing discomfort for Nathaniel, who still wants to pretend he has noble aims.

MYSTERIOUS THIEVES-SPOILERS

When Bartimaus leaves Nathaniel unattended, he gets mugged and has his scrying glass stolen. They let him live, but Nathaniel notes that they seemed to know he had the item, even though it was hidden. Bartimaus remembers a time earlier in the book where something similar happened to him when he was returning with the amulet. This mystery isn't solved. But Nathaniel does learn about a resistance that the government is trying to keep down.

THE MYSTERY OF LOVELACE

Bartimaus not only has to steal an amulet from Lovelace, he also has to spy on him. We learn about strange, coded phrases that hint that the magician is up to something. It's a mystery that when is finally revealed it's well worth the wait.

HILARIOUS BARTIMAUS

Almost all of the story's humor comes from Bartimaus. Stroud displays his unique sense of humor, almost always getting a laugh out of me. At least a guffaw. His relationship with Nathaniel proves to be a major point of comedy, but Bartimaus makes fun of everyone he meets, not limiting his wit to his master. He pokes fun at two djinn, Faquarl and Jabor, as well as any other magician he meets. No one is immune to his sharp wit. Least of all the reader.

Although the humor has more than just the purpose of amusement. He often humbles the arrogant, including his master. And he points out the truth about this so called “just” society.

CLIMAX

Bartimaus and Nathaniel separate and each face an enemy and emerge triumphant, before coming back together and attempting to face an even bigger challenge. Together, they manage to stop their enemy and Nathaniel is rehomed with a new teacher. Bartimaus is finally dismissed.

CONCLUSION

Stroud creates an original and detailed world with likable characters. Bartimaus adds so much humor to the story, all the while keeping anything personal about himself a secret, causing the reader to suspect there is more to him than meets the eye.

Nathaniel is abused but isn't liked for his victimhood, instead for his intelligence, willingness to learn, and his desire to be loved. His naivete about the magician's is easily overlooked, as he has so much potential to one day discover the truth about the magicians he admires.

The story balances fast paced action with informing us all about Nathaniel and how he has came to be. Chapter endings are often cliffhangers and both stories are equally important, coming together like puzzle pieces.

Nathaniel and Bartimaus perfectly compliment each other as characters, drawing out insights all the while drawing out the readers desire to learn more about the characters and root them on. I give “The Amulet of Samarkand” five stars.

Book Review: "The Merlin Conspiracy" by Diana Wynne Jones

SPOIL FREE SUMMARY

Nick can travel to other worlds and suddenly finds himself in one. Roddy lives in one full of magic, and ruled by not just a King but a Merlin. She soon discovers a plan to take over the Islands of Blest by planting a Merlin. But Roddy is determined to stop it, with help from her friend Grundo, as well as a grandfather she has never met. Meanwhile Nick intends to seek out a powerful magician he meets on accident. But doing so means crossing worlds to find him.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Roddy and her family follow the progress, working for the King. She is a page and is always on the move. She has decided its her job to protect Grundo. He is her only friend.

Grundo is a few years younger than Roddy. He spends most of his free time with her, as he has no other friends. He is quite abused by both his mother and older sister.

Nick is the adopted son of a man from our world. He desires to cross over from his world to another, and knows this is possible because he came from another world originally.

Romanov is a powerful magician who resides on a plot of land with portions of his house being from different time periods. Or was it universes?

Grandather Gwyn is some sort of powerful being. It's not really explained why or how this happened.

PACING

The pacing of the story is slow. If I had less patience I would have put it down. Important facts are not revealed in any clear way that would create suspense. In fact I was left confused at many points.

TWO STORIES COLLIDE

The majority of the story is actually two stories, Roddy's and Nick's. They seem completely unrelated in the beginning. Eventually Nick meets Roddy and I didn't even know it was her at first. He describes her appearance, but it had never been described before so I didn't know it was her at all.

Then when we see the same story from her perspective, it barely feels like the same scene. Instead of a scene from two different perspectives where we learn something from the character telling the story, it felt like two confusing events that had nothing in common.

THINGS LEFT UNSAID

Nick reveals amazing truths about himself. He is not from the world he lives in. He actually came from another, where magic was real and he was a child of royalty. But he abdicated and somehow ended up here and was adopted by a couple. This seems like it would be a whole story in itself. But we only get a few paragraphs here and there.

I had so many questions. How old was he when he abdicated? How was his relationship with his family? Was he scared about leaving everything behind? Did his adopted parents know that he came from another world? Because later on Nick says his dad doesn't believe in anything supernatural.

How did his mom die? Was he close to her? Did he get to know her well before she passed away?

But none of these issues are addressed and I am left feeling that I am reading a sequel to a book that I missed. To be fair, this is the second in a series. But the summary of the first book seems to have nothing to do with Nick. Perhaps he is a side character?

AN AWKWARD ROMANCE

Nick things Roddy is cute the moment he sees her. And when they meet again, he tries to comfort her when she is shocked by a revelation about Grundo. He hugs her and she pushes him away. It just seems so out of the blue. Roddy is merely an acquaintance and yet he thinks he should embrace her? It felt like the author was trying to hard to show a relationship was forming between them.

OUR VILLAINS

Sybil, as well as the new Merlin and somebody named Sir James are the bad guys. They are not in the story much nor is their motivation clear. I never learned much about any of them. They seemed like an afterthought. There is also a man called the Prayermaster that is briefly in the story. He has to do with Romanov being sent to kill Nick. We don't really know why.

TOO VAGUE

There are certain aspects of the story that are vague on details, or they give them, but not just right away. Only after four pages, on the very bottom of the fourth page did I learn that Roddy was a girl. There was no use of the word “she” or “her”. Nor any behavior described that could obviously point to a girl telling the story.

When Nick sees the panther again, I was left wondering how that was possible. Did he cross over into another dimension, like he had earlier? Or did that panther get to his dimension, somehow? I never understood and nothing was explained.

And then suddenly Nick has left the world he initially crossed into and is on something called a “Dark Path” and he has to do three good deeds in order to leave it. I don't know when he got there. Was this just another part of his ability to travel to other worlds? It isn't mentioned when this happens. It just happens, and I was left wondering why nothing was ever explained.

HER WORLD FELL APART?

There is scene near the last portion of the book where Romanov notices that Grundo has a glamour on Roddy. He admits he put it on her when he was three, so she would look after him and baby him. Roddy freaks out, saying something along the lines that the foundation of her world has fallen. It was so overly dramatic, and so unlike the rather blunt and boyish Roddy that I couldn't take it seriously. Not only that, but she never really confronts Grundo about it nor does he apologize. The story just moves on and we assume they heal or get over it.

A GIFT FROM A WITCH

Roddy is sent by her grandfather Gwyn to go somewhere. We are not told why. And eventually Grundo asks why too. By then I was already confused. Turns out a long dead witch has decided to leave Roddy her knowledge (Witches have to leave their knowledge to someone). So Roddy ends up with it. But I had to wonder why. Why was she worthy of it? Had no one else ever come upon the site? Did she show a propensity to magic that she was unaware of. Roddy is surprised about the incident, but not that she was chosen. So this isn't explained.

Later, when she visits her grandmother she shows a unique ability regarding magic. But until then there wasn't any hint that she was special. There didn't seem any hints planted beforehand.

JUST A DREAM?

Nick manages to cross over into another world, but persists in thinking it is a dream. Even after he meets Romanov. I kept thinking there was no way he was that stupid. After all, he knows all about magic and other worlds. But he can't figure out this is real? It felt inconsistent with a characters with such knowledge.

DRAGONS, LIZARDS & GHOST PEOPLE

Grandfather Gwyn mentions that dragons are real and Roddy thinks he's nuts. One ends up revealing itself, but we never understand if there were records of dragons in the past, or why it was a secret. How did the people of Blest become so ignorant?

It's kind of just thrown into the story, like many things. They're is never a moment where I read something and recognized it as a crucial part of the story. A puzzle piece, as you will. Everything just felt like we were going off on a tangent. And if we were lucky it might tie in to the story later on.

Toby, a minor character mentioned seeing ghosts and having the woods talk to him. It sounds insane but no one even asks him about it. It makes no sense. Wouldn't they want to know what he saw?

We end up hunting down a bunch of fire salamanders that have something to do with Toby's mother's magic club. While Toby's father is a member of secret group of rebels who use them as a source of magic.

We learn that there is a female version of the Merlin, called the Lady of Governance. There are people who are cities.

Roddy's Grandmother and Aunt are sexist to men and ignorant of how their own magic works.

We use a goat to track down Romanov...for some reason.

It felt like an unorganized mess where the editor had given up trying to edit.

The things that were supposed to be important were impossible to tell because there was just too much going on all at once.

CLIMAX

The group attempts to free an imprisoned group of people (including Roddy's parents and the original Merlin). Then Roddy faces Sybil and the other conspirators. She uses her ability to raise the land (not quite sure what that means); the white dragon shows up; some Little People show up and drag off some bad guys. Maybe to kill them? Who knows.

CONCLUSIONS

The abundance of problems with this story overwhelms me.

Things that sounded interesting and crucial to the plot were completely neglected, mentioned in a paragraph when a chapter would have been preferred. While things that should have been mentioned in a paragraph took pages up.

And I never quite felt like I understood how anything worked or why it mattered.

The story is full of detailed descriptions of different worlds, and yet it never feels relevant to the story. Why did I need to see the many layers of a strange city? Why did I need to see the people on top of it and their embroidery? Why did Nick need to meet a panther? It had nothing to do with him, not after he saw it a second time.

Neither Nick or Roddy feel like real people. Their histories are neglected and they don't seem to have real relationships with anyone. Let alone with each other, while a romantic relationship is forced.

I give “The Merlin Conspiracy” one and a half stars. Maybe a good editor could have at least made the story coherent. Then I would have forgiven the lack of character depth.

Book Review: "Fairest" by Gail Carson Levine

SPOIL FREE SUMMARY

Aza is shocked when she gets invited to the marriage between the King and his new bride. And when she is asked to be a lady in waiting to the new queen, she can't believe her good fortune. But the queen may not be what she seems. And then there is prince Ijori, whom she can't help but like.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Aza is the adopted daughter of a couple of inn keepers. She isn't just plain looking, but what many consider ugly. She describes her skin as pasty and her face as puffy. She is also unusually tall and wide. Because of rude treatment by many guests, what she desires more than anything is to be pretty.

Prince Ijiori is the grandson of King Oscuro. He is light-hearted and kind and is never without his favorite dog.

Queen Ivi is a gorgeous woman from a foreign country whom captures the King's heart. She is rather naive at times, and seems to have two natures.

King Oscuro is an older man who adores his young wife.

zhamM is a gnome that Aza meets while rather young. He comes back into the story much later, playing an important role.

PACING

The pacing is not fast, similar to the other writings of Levine. But this is not an action book.

The stage is set in the beginning while we learn about Aza's being found by a couple. From there we go from one incident to another as the years pass. We meet two characters that will be essential to the plot, one much later on, and one rather soon. By chapter five, thirty pages in, the main plot of the story takes off. So in reality, we don't dawdle, and everything that is presented before the main plot is crucial to the reader.

AZA'S GIFT

Aza accidentally learns she has a strange ability. She keeps it secret, only revealing it to her sister to cheer her up. She accidentally reveals it again and it sets her up to remain at the palace. The gift is important regarding the queen.

ALWAYS SINGING?

There is a unique history in the kingdom of Ayortha. Singing is a vital part of life. Everyone sings. They're are singing games, singing at all special occasions. And some occasions come from singing alone. The story is speckled with songs. I loved the originality as well as the idea that singing could heal someone.

My only complaint is that people sang at weird times. When some characters were having serious discussions...they'd answer singing. Not in a rhyme, just “he sang” or “she sang”. I had to stop imaging them singing because I couldn't take it seriously.

A LIKABLE HEROINE

Aza starts out as a victim, coming from bad treatment of guests at her inn. She complains about her appearance and such but once she lives at the palace she grows confident in herself. Not that she stops desiring to be pretty, she doesn't'.

She has sense of humor that reminds me of Levine's other heroines.

STUCK IN A LIE

Circumstances lead to Aza not being able to reveal that she is only a commoner. She feels awful, not wanting the Prince to dislike her. But when she does reveal it to him, as well as her promotion, he is suddenly distrustful of her.

Their relationship has its ups and downs, mainly being the massive lie that Aza is forced to keep. When the truth is revealed its heartbreaking to watch. We don't know if Aza will be believed.

ALLUSIONS TO SNOW WHITE-VAGUE SPOILERS

Just like “Ella Enchanted” made slight allusions to Cinderella, so to does this story make vague allusions to Snow White. The biggest difference is that Aza herself is not considered pretty. She is very big and tall, and has a round, almost pudgy face. That difference is quite big and led me to be surprised at the later tie ins to the classic fairy tale. (I know, the title, but it could have been made to make you think of a fairy tale.)

There are gnomes instead of dwarves, and not twelve, just a huge group. Although she really only gets close to one of them.

There is a mirror in the queen's room that we eventually learn about.

Aza is supposed to be killed but is spared.

And of course there is a certain apple.

WHO IS IVI?

From the beginning, the real nature of the queen is a mystery. At first she seems childlike, energetic, but a little naive. She adores her king, that is the first thing Aza notices about her.

Slowly, we start to wonder about her. She seems to suddenly treat Aza strange, abandoning her in a pinch. But Aza is not sure. Did she forget? Or send a servant to help her but they forgot?

Aza is a country girl, a commoner. And ignorant to the ways of the court. So when she discovers the truth about the queen, it hits her like a ton of bricks. And suddenly things make horrible sense. But there are more mysteries to solve and it's up to Aza to unravel them.

TURNING A FAIRY TALE ON ITS HEAD

A huge difference between Snow White and this tale, is that Aza is not pretty. She is not the fairest of them all. In fact, she might be considered odd looking, even ugly.

I thought it could have come off as cheesy and rather preachy. But it didn't.

Yes, Aza is not traditionally considered pretty. But she learns that she isn't that ugly either. She realizes she is too hard on herself. It's something that all woman can relate to. We are our own worst critics. Not only that, but we judge other woman too harshly, much harsher than any men do. No man looks at a woman and thinks: her teeth should be whiter, he hair should be arranged better, and she needs a flat stomach.

Aza learns a lesson we all need to learn. We are valuable. And it's our character that defines us.

A WISE MOVE?

There is a part in the story where Aza has dangerous accusations flung at her. She suddenly realizes the truth about Ivi. She then proceeds to make herself pretty and I was left feeing confused. I thought, how will this help your cause? But I suppose she was so angry that she acted without thinking.

CLIMAX-VAGUE SPOILERS

Aza ends up with the gnomes, where she is safe. Eventually the fateful apple is thrust into the story and Aza leaves her body. Not dead, but not awake. She gets trapped but eventually frees herself by her own force of will. Although Ijiori seems to have played a part.

A CONNECTED WORLD

There is mention of Lucinda the fairy, which all readers of “Ella Enchanted” will be familiar with. Turns out she is still granting gifts that ruin lives.

THE EVIL QUEEN'S END?-SPOILERS

The king eventually decides that Ivi needs to be dealt with. But he sees her as more of a victim who was manipulated than a villain. So he says he is going to abdicate in a few months. Before then, he sends Ivi back to her country to be a diplomat.

A part of me felt this was unfair. Yes, Ivi may have been manipulated, but she alone caused the actions that hurt an innocent person. I would rather she have realized how wrong she had been and I never quite got that feeling.

CONCLUSION

Levine presents an original take on Snow White with a likable heroine in Aza. She also presents clues about the truth regarding Ivi throughout the plot.

Her original sense of humor is used to lighten a sometimes dark story and she creates a detailed world that immerses the reader.

My criticisms are few and slight. Mainly that characters sang in odd circumstances and that Ivi was kind of shuffled off with a slap on the hand. I give “Fairest” four stars.

Book Review: "The Great Ghost Rescue" by Eva Ibbotson

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

When a whole family of ghosts lose their home, they accidentally meet a young boy named Rick. Rick decides its his job to help them and takes them all the way to London. He plans to talk to Parliament and demand help. But things don't necessarily go as planned.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Rick is a school boy with high ideals. He agrees to help the ghosts without much thought.

Humphrey is the son of Mabel and Hamish, a ghost couple. Unlike his other family members he is not quite good at being a ghost. He is fully aware of it and wishes he could change. He develops into a brave character by the end of the book.

Aunt Hortensia is Humphrye's aunt who goes around carrying her own head. She is quite rude and often says mean things about her nephew.

Beatrice is a classmate of Rick's. She is rather smart and ends up helping Rick on more than one occasion.

Peter is a classmate of Rick's that is very homesick. He doesn't know anyone at school very well.

Mr. Wilks is Nick's Representative in parliament.

Lord Bullhaven is our bad guy. He is two dimensional and oddly inappropriate.

PACING

Ibbotson's stories are not fast paced which doesn't' usually spoil anything. She takes her time setting up the scenes and introducing the character as well as the problem. She focuses more on silliness than action. But it suits her perfectly.

MORE THAN HE PLANNED

Rick travels to London, more and more ghosts tag along. We get odd and amusing stories from them and even end up with some vampire bats.

RICK'S ARC

Rick does have a slight arc. He is not perfect and although he is quite naive, he does come to worry about his plans. Especially when he meets the vampire bats. He does eventually learn to respect them and not fear them. He even gives one of them an important gift.

But I am afraid he is a rather shallow character. He seems to care more about saving the world then the tears of his own roommate. That kind of put me off.

MR.WILKS NEEDS CONVINCING

After meeting his representative in parliament, Rick is blown off. But he is told if he can prove that ghosts are real, he can see the PM. A hilarious scene follows where the ghosts crash an upscale cocktail party and terrify everyone.

WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR?

Beatrice is really the only friend of Ricks. So it makes sense that she doesn't only push the story forward by giving Rick advice, she also comes back into the story. This time she has secret knowledge which allows Rick to get the ghosts fast.

Peter on the other hand, isn't a friend at all. And he is kind of shoved into the story halfway through. Rick remembers he can do martial arts and thinks he could be useful. I guess Rick was supposed to be developing sympathy for him. In the beginning of the book, he is too busy thinking about saving the planet to notice him.

STRUCTURE

The book is set up into two main sections, the first being where Rick goes to get help from the PM and what occurs. The second part is after some trouble occurs and help is sought out. As well as the journey back to the new home for the ghosts.

MISS THISTLEWAITHE-SPOILERS

When Rick needs help to get to the ghosts, he turns to a teacher. Turns our she is part of a group of secret witches. It is silly of course, but what follows is kind of underwhelming. Turns out that have some sort of dolls. They use one on a wealthy young man who then suddenly shows up, saying he wants to fly to exactly where they want to go. He asks if they would like to join him.

I expected something with slight more thought put into it. Like maybe a love potion that made him fall for one of the witches and then he accepted their request to use his jet. Or something. I guess this had to happen fast. But I wish something more original had occurred. Like him acting like a brain dead zombie who follows all orders. Or something. Just something with imagination.

OUR VILLAIN IS EVIL

The worst part of the story is the bad guy. Obviously, Eva Ibbotson creates funny stories that are not to be taken too seriously. But she doesn't usually write about serious issues. But the character of Lord Bullhaven is awkward and confusing.

His motivation is: he doesn't' like anyone different from him. Ibbotson actually says that. We get a long list of races and religions and people as well as those who are not wealthy (he is wealthy, but we don't learn anything about his religion). There is no reason or rational given as an excuse for these reasons. He is just evil.

That kind of two dimensional character would be obnoxious to me already, but the fact that the serious issues of racism and prejudice are shoehorned into the story make it worse.

Simply put it would have been easy to make him hate ghosts because he had once been terribly scared by one. That would have made sense and at least given him motivation.

CLIMAX

Rick, Beatrice and Peter arrive back at the ghosts new home and manage to save them. A party follows.

CONCLUSION

The idea of ghost stories is familiar to Ibbotson. And there is her usual use of humor. But Rick is a rather shallow hero and the story lacks imagination in most parts. The final nail in the coffin is Lord Bullhaven, who hates everyone, just because. Not only is he an unimaginative villain, he is completely uncalled for in what is supposed to be a silly book full of fun and whimsy. I give “The Great Ghost Rescue” one a half stars.

Series Overview: "Peter and the Starcatchers Series" by Ridley Pearson & Dave Barry

SUMMARY

A more in depth look at the series, might be some spoilers.

CHARACTER LIKABILITY

PETER

Peter starts our rather selfish but changes rather fast. He soon realizes the others look up to him and it's his job to look after them.

And although he makes mistakes, getting into arguments (not just with Wendy but the Lost Boys) and disobeying his elders, he usually learns from them and suffers the consequences. Such as when he disobeys Fighting Prawn and gets poisoned.

MOLLY

Molly isn't portrayed as a perfect girl, who can do anything a man can do and more. She is brave, but she is also vulnerable (when it comes to her father, she isn't afraid to cry).

She makes mistakes and has to admit to them. They only part where she suffers is in her last appearance as a child in “The Secret of Rundoon”. She continuously disobeys her father and is shocked by his anger at her. This made her look stupid and selfish.

GEORGE

George is quite smart and although he is judgmental at first, eventually he comes to respect Peter. Even before that, he is likable in his desire to help Molly and put his life on the line for her.

CHARACTER GROWTH

PETER

Peter changes from a rather selfish boy (who was thinking of abandoning his friends) in the first book, to a leader who doesn't just feel like he should protect his friends but protect his new friend Molly, and even a stranger (the mermaid he saves).

Although later on, he lacks in development. He knows he is different than Molly and won't grow, but they never really address it. Even when Peter meets Molly all grown up, as well as Ted, we don't learn much about his feelings. We focus more on his fear of Ombra, which is interesting, but I hoped for more.

MOLLY

Molly doesn't develop as much. We see her become brave but we didn't necessarily see a different version of her before. But we do see her being upset about her father and learning to confide in Peter. But that is only in the first book.

From then one she seems to stay the same, disobeying her father and getting away with it. That is, until "The Secret of Rundoon". She messes up twice, first with sneaking on the ship, and then when she follows her father and gets thrown in jail with him. Unfortunately, we never actually see how this might affect her, as after this she is seen as a grown up.

GEORGE

George starts out as looking down on Peter but eventually learns to respect him. He learns about star stuff and eagerly helps, eventually even risking his own life. His bravery is revealed in the third book, where he and the lost boys go off alone and he leads them to steal a ship. That's why his change in personality was such a disappointment when we see him as an adult.

CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS

Peter and Molly's relationship does grow and go through struggles in the first book. He gets mad when she won't confide in him about the star stuff, then later when she wants to go get the star stuff instead of going to save the lost boys. Wendy realizes she is wrong and comes back to help save Peter from the alligator.

There isn't really any discussion between them about how Peter will not grow (although Tink mentions it to Peter). Or how Peter is jealous of George and his relationship with Molly.

Wendy and her Father seem to have strains in their relationships, first when Aster forbids her from leaving the house and the second when he scolds her for sneaking on his ship. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any learning done on Wendy's part.

I do think it would have been interesting if we had scene George learn about how Peter will never age. He might had viewed him differently. Perhaps he was told, but there is never any difference in how he seems to view the boy.

USE OF HUMOR

Throughout the books, we repeatedly get scenes between Captain Hook and Smee that are usually funny. Only a very small portion I found skip-worthy.

Tinkerbell is always being rude, so Peter's re-translating of her is usually quite silly. Other uses of humor are more surprising and less predictable. Such as the interaction between George and Peter when they first meet. Or when we see Magill's wild animals.

PACING

The pacing is one of the strong suits. Although the beginnings are often slow, it's not because of bad writing. It's to build suspense. Some chapters are quite small, and are thrown in to build suspense and foreshadowing.

The pacing is fast because there are always at least two different stories going on at once. Actually, there are usually even more.

AWKWARD EXPOSITION

The scene where Ombra reveals the origin of the universe was kind of cheesy. There was no real reason why Ombra would do so, and although it was interesting to discover that Peter might be half alien, the method of it's delivery was bad.

Also, Ombra was far too vague when it came to his motives. And instead of telling them, we should have seen hints of his motives. Maybe learned about his past.

DEATH OF A LOVED ONE

For the majority of the books, only villains and side characters we barely know die. But when Aster sacrifices himself for Wendy and Peter I found it really moving. It made me wonder if perhaps other characters might die in the future. I wanted more stories.

REPEATING THEMES?

In every book, Peter leaves the Island and there is side story on it. It always involves either the lost boys or the Mollusk tribe. Sometimes both. One of my complaints is that Mr. Grin is used quite a lot. He is often lured and used to trap the enemies. It just gets a little predictable.

A SIDE STORY UNEQUAL TO THE MAIN ONE

One of my complaints is that the side stories don't always seem very important. If fact, it wasn't until the third book when the Scorpions arrived that I generally felt it was an important story. I knew in the second book that the lost boys would not be harmed, and that Peter would save them. So I was always eager to get back to the main plot.

AN ORIGINAL IDEA

Neverland gets an origin story with the crashing of the ship “Neverland” as well as a birth from star stuff. Not to mention the importance of the mermaids, who time and time again remain an ally to Peter and his friends.

Indians become the Mollusk tribe while star stuff gets it's own story. Not from any pixies, but from another planet, it seems. The only part where this suffers is when Ombra tries to tell more than we need to know.

CONCLUSION

The pacing is so fast that I never felt bored, and was always eager to read. The suspense was always there, drawing out my interest in every book. And the story is surprisingly original for one based off a classic. As for the main characters they are all likable for the most part; fleshed out with strengths and weaknesses.

Peter does develop slightly, but Molly not as much. And the relationship between them is interesting and believable.

My criticisms are mostly subjective, such as my distaste for the vague origin story of Ombra and the lack of Hook as anything to be taken seriously (or any development). Although objectively, the side story is never equal to the main one, until the third book. Overall, I would rate the series as a whole four stars.

Book Review: "Peter and the Sword of Mercy" by Ridley Pearson & Dave Barry

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

It's been twenty three years since Peter has seen Molly. But when events lead Molly's daughter to come to Peter for help, he agrees to return to London. Turns out Ombra may have returned but Peter has to deal with the fact that his best friend has grown up as well as his own fears.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Peter doesn't see Molly until the climax of the book but he is aware that his friend has grown up and married. A large theme of the book is Peter's own fears of Ombra, which have increased since they last met.

Wendy is brave and smart. She is likable, but I would have to say, not much different then her mother. (Perhaps she is less aggressive? Molly came off that way often with George in the last two books.) She shows tremendous trust in Peter at the climax which I found interesting.

Ted has grown up and is now a professor. Wendy goes to him for help and he later returns to assist her and Peter.

Molly learns about James' suspicions but blows him off. Eventually she worries about him and investigates. She is important to the story because of her relationship and the knowledge she passes to her daughter, Wendy.

James has grown up and is now a member of Scotland Yard. He serves as a starting point for the story but doesn't return until the climax.

Tinker Bell is important, creating a much needed distraction for her friends.

Uncle Neville is a wealthy and slightly crazy inventor. None of his inventions work but that doesn't stop him from trying. He loves attempting flying machines and is important to the plot as two of his inventions are used.

O'Neal is one of a group of men who claimed to have been lost at sea. He provides the side story of what is happening on Neverland.

Leonard Aster is older now and his health is failing him. But he still proves invaluable to the plot, as he tells Wendy with information and risks his life.

Captain Hook is still up to his old tricks. Although he is important to the plot, he still ends up threatening to kill Peter. Again.

Fighting Prawn is important to the story because he reveals suspicions about O'neal and his men. He also comes up with a plan to send Wendy home.

PACING

The story starts out slower, like all of the others. We get separate stories that slowly unfold. Peter's on the Island, Molly's in London as well as some of our villain's story.

HUMOR

There is the usual use of humor regarding Captain Hook and Smee that made me smile. And a scene where Peter gets a scientific explanation of the telephone made me laugh.

Just like the previous books, the humor is sprinkled throughout so as to no destroy the gravity of the matters at hand. There is also the matter of Magill's bear and how it lives in the city now.

PETER'S FAILURE-SPOILERS

When the group learns of a stone at a museum, they go to retrieve it. Ombra shows up and attacks and they get separated. Peter ends up losing the stone because of his overpowering fear of Ombra. Not only that but he flees and forgets about Tinker Bell, he allowed him to escape.

This was an interesting aspect because Peter has never had any real problems regarding fear. If anything, he was too brave, it led to him being reckless.

ALL GROWN UP

Peter hesitates when Wendy finally arrives and asks for help. He is obviously thinking that after twenty three years, his friends no longer care about him. They have their own lives.

I wanted this to be addressed, but after his initial reaction, it's forgotten. I suppose he forgave them and let his anger go, but if so, it's merely because he was too busy trying to stop Ombra. Not because of any growth on his part.

THE LOST BOYS

We get to see Tubby Ted, James, and even Thomas, all grown up. Although I wish we had seen Prentiss. And we really didn't get to see much of Thomas at all. I appreciated seeing them again, but I wished we could have focused more on Peter's feelings about them. The one downside of having so much action in a book is there is little focus on relationships.

IN DENIAL

When George finds out that Molly has seen James, he learns all about the rumors of Ombra. Unfortunately, he reacts rather angrily. He wants nothing to do with his past. I would understand it if he was simply worried for his wife, but he came across as an idiot. And even when he admits to being wrong, it's far too late and he proves himself ineffectual.

It's as if since he became an adult, he had to be stupid so the kids could save him. I didn't really care for that. Especially since all of his development seems to have gone down the drain.

CLIMAX-VAGUE SPOILERS

With the help of Molly's locket, they find Ombra's victims and his goal. We also find Molly and learn of a sacrifice that she was planning to make, along with George. They end up facing Ombra but with some help manage to stop him and get the star stuff. Everything comes to a head as they use a train to take it away only to be chased. Ombra isn't so much as defeated as he has vanished.

AFTERMATH

Peter returns to the Island, along with Hook and his crew. They confront O'neal and his boss who had planned to take the left over star stuff (from the original portion in the first book, that created the mermaids). It's mentioned that they will make sure to hide the star stuff and seal it up. I had to wonder, why didn't they do that long before? That is one of my only gripes.

CONCLUSION

Peter struggles with his own fears, which helps add some depth to his character (although I wish other matters had been addressed). And multiple stories help build up suspense that culminates in the return of Ombra.

My only criticisms are that George seems to have completely reversed his behavior and certain issues regarding Peter are never fully fleshed out. But they are minor criticisms that I hope will be gradually be rectified. I give “Peter and the Sword of Mercy” four stars.

Book Review: "Peter and the Secret of Rundoon" by Ridley Pearson & Dave Barry

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

Because of an old enemy Peter ends up far from home, in Ombra's hands. All the while Molly and George try to uncover the truth about Peter's past. And Leonard Aster sets off to rescue Peter.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Peter doesn't necessarily change, but he does learn about his past. Which is rather important for him. He learns about his parents, his last name, and about his own abilities.

Molly is just as brave as before, but she also comes off as rather naive. Twice she disobeys her father and both times this results in trouble.

George remains with Molly through most of the book. He shows bravery and boldness, especially when they separate and he attempts a dangerous task. Even Peter admits being impressed with him.

Leonard Aster attempts to rescue Peter but is portrayed as rather incompetent. He messes up twice in the book and it isn't quite believable. Why wouldn't he notice two men following them in the middle of a huge desert? It's not like they were in a crowd.

King Zarboff III is an evil King who rules a desert kingdom and gets his slaves from Peter's old orphanage. He has a huge snake who eats anyone who gets him angry.

Professor Glotz is man who works for King Zarboff. He has little sympathy for those who he hurts.

Tinker bell plays an important role. She helps George and Molly find Peter as well as providing a distraction so Peter can free some enslaved boys. While it's Amm the porpoise who tells them what happened to Peter, Tink tells them that Peter was injured. She also refills Molly's locket with starstuff.

Shining Pearl is a part of a side story involving Smee and the other pirates. She is a sympathetic heroine and the humor used throughout her story is amusing.

PACING

The pacing is good, if it starts a bit slow. The story is set up, with the return of Ombra and his heading to Rundoon. Then the Scorpion Tribe planning to take over Neverland. From then we go to Molly. So three separate stories are starting. But the slow start is to build suspense and from then one the pace is back to it's usual speed.

TWO STORIES

There are two stories, one off the island and one on it, just like last time. But this time, I think the situation is more dire and certainly less humorous than the previous side story. A warrior tribe called the Scorpions plan to invade the island and enslave it's populace.

PETER'S RECKLESSNESS-SPOILERS

Peter disobeys Fighting Prawn's orders and goes out to sea, scouting for the Scorpions. Because of this he gets injured and poisoned. Peter has been reckless in the past, and he usually paid for it. Like when he got James in trouble. It's nice to see this time that the consequences are ones he personally suffers.

A USELESS FATHER?

In the last book, after Leonard is furious at Molly and forbids her from leaving the house, she manages it anyway. She actually ends up helping, although she does cause some trouble as well. The reason this didn't make Leonard look like an idiot was the fact that is was Molly's mistake that caused him to be in danger. She forgot to tell him about Ombra gaining knowledge by touching a shadow.

In this case though, Leonard seems rather incompetent and there isn't much of an excuse that can be made for him. Molly notes two men following her father on their camels. But for some unknown reason, Leonard, who is a seasoned star catcher, doesn't. It just made him look stupid, and I didn't like it.

MOLLY'S RECKLESSNESS

Molly doesn't want to be treated like a child. After all, she has been through lots of danger and helped the star catchers already. But you can't blame Leonard for not wanting to put his daughter in danger.

But Molly disobeys and sneaks onto the ship her father is on. She is surprised when Leonard is furious at her. The reaction was warranted. He clearly forbid her from coming and she willfully disobeyed. I was kind of surprised at her shock. Yes, she got away with disobeying once before, but that was because she knew it his her own fault he was in danger.

DISGRUNTLED LOST BOYS

In the beginning we learn that the Lost boys are getting sick of living on the island. Peter notes they are growing up, unlike him. This sets up a reveal at the end of the story.

HOOK'S ROLE-VAGUE SPOILERS

For most of the story, Hook is just in the background. He was taken prisoner by Ombra too. I kept waiting for his role, knowing he had to play one. Barry and Pearson never leave puzzle pieces without a place in their stories.

Eventually, Hook does get one. He is crucial to the escape of Leonard. He also helps steer the ship. Because of this, he is crucial to the plot. But I wanted him to evolve into an ally, even if it was only for a short time. And it never felt like that.

He immediately went back to being an enemy (and not a very smart one). It kind of annoyed me, but I guess it was necessary to the plot, as the star stuff drops all over the island like rain, seeping into it.

THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE

I have this preference, completely subjective.

I don't like when stories attempt to explain the origin of the universe with their McGuffin of choice. It always comes off as cheesy and trying too hard. I don't need to know the origin of the universe.

And in a scene of exposition clearly meant for the reader (Ombra has no real reason to reveal his motivation to Leonard) Ombra reveals deep secrets of the universe.

But bypassing star stuff accidentally creating the universe, (which bothers me, but probably won't bother others) it's the vagueness of the explanation of Ombra's motivation that annoys me.

Ombra thinks humanity gets in the way of him being evil, because before their existence, it was easier...to be evil? He doesn't say what he is, just that he is not human and has been alive long before humanity. He calls himself a force of darkness (which is as unoriginal as it gerts) and his enemies the forces of light. Are they aliens? Demons? Angels? Anything? I don't know because it's not important enough to know.

The thing is, if that's not relevant, then neither should the origin of existence be relevant. Barry and Pearson gave into the temptation of constantly having to make the stakes more extreme then previously. It's not just saving someone, or some city, or some country. Or even some planet. It's all of existence ever. Ha! Top that.

But I didn't need such extreme stakes, I was just fine with not understanding star stuff and happy with just learning about Peter.

THE LAST PIECE OF NEVERLAND'S ORIGIN STORY-SPOILERS

At the end of the story we see how star stuff seeped into the whole Island and ended up changing the water. So as long as you drink the water, you won't age. I thought it was interesting, meaning that whoever decides to live with Peter will no longer age as well. Also, it means whenever you decide you want to grow up, it's an option open. For everyone but not Peter.

CLIMAX

Peter defeats Ombra, returns to the Island and helps free the Mollusks, with help from Shining Pearl. Hook ends up where he started and we learn more about Neverland.

CONCLUSION

Barry and Pearson create an exciting finish to their trilogy just as fast paced as their others. We learn more about Peter's history as well as the origins of star stuff (although it's quite vague).

George steps up and plays an important role while even Hook is crucial to the plot.

My only objective criticism is that Leonard is made to look the fool while Molly keeps disobeying, but never really understands that she should be learning.

Book Review: "Peter and the Shadow Thieves" by Ridley Pearson & Dave Barry

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

When a strange ship with an even stranger passenger arrives at Neverland the occupants demand to know the whereabouts of the star stuff. Wanting to save his daughter, Fighting Prawn reveals that Leonard Aster took it with him to England. Witnessing this stranger's abilities, Peter knows that Molly and her father are danger. So he heads to London, hoping to warn them.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Peter has grown accustomed to living on the Island. But because of his abilities, he often leaves his friends out of his fun. Because of his selfishness, he gets in trouble and must ask the Mollusk tribe to help.

Molly Aster is still a likable heroine for the most part. She is not only brave but smart on more than one occasion. I loved when she figured out about her shadow before she was told. I say for the most part because there were few times where she snaps at George which made her appear slightly obnoxious.

Captain Hook remains on Neverland so isn't apart of Peter's plot. He is however apart of a side plot where he threatens the lost boys.

Leonard Aster leaves Molly and his wife but is in the later portion of the book. He could have come off as incompetent, being that the guards he left behind failed their job. But no one could have foreseen a creature like Ombra.

George Darling is family friend of Molly's. He ends up giving them refuge and eventually becoming an ally. He is actually rather important and crucial to the plot. Peter dislikes him.

Slank (who was revealed to be an important player in the last book) continues to hunt for the star stuff. But he now works for Ombra. He craves revenge against Peter.

Ombra is a strange being that can stretch and bend his form like a a shadow. He is slowly revealed, but not without some suspense.

Nerezza is the captain of the Le Fantome, the ship that Ombra takes to get to Neverland and England. He is rather creepy but plays a backseat to Ombra.

Tinker bell is important to the story, as she saves Peter on two occasions in the story. She also helps find the secret entrance to the Keep (star catchers headquarters).

PACING

We actually start with a story that seems unrelated to the main plot, James getting caught by Hook and Peter having to rescue him (with help from the mollusk tribe). In between these events we learn about Nerezza and Slank. And eventually Ombra. But the pacing does pick up from there and remains steady thanks to various stories being told at the same time.

PETER'S LONDON ADVENTURES-SPOILERS

When Peter arrives in London he gets into an abundance of trouble. First, when he gets tricked by a boy to get food, only to get trapped into slavery. From there he manages an escape only to get himself thrown in jail. The pacing was good here, as it shifts back and forth once again, from him to Molly and even to Tinker Bell.

Although I do have one caveat, I felt like Peter met so many children that were being victimized. After he escaped, I wanted him to go back and help them, somehow. Just before returning to Neverland. I was disappointed when this wasn't fit in. Especially since most other aspects of the story went together like a well put together puzzle.

MOLLY & PETER

Molly and Peter spend about half the book without each other. Although we finally get to hear from Molly by page 91. From then one we get small snippets of her story while she grows suspicious of strangers while the main plot is still about Peter.

Although to be fair we get more then just suspicions. Molly and her mother, Louise learn that the last batch of star stuff was taken by the Others (that's their enemies) before they could get to it. As though they knew in advance, which is impossible.

When the two finally collide we get a dramatic confrontation with Ombra well worthy of the wait.

A COMPLICATION

When Peter arrives to save Molly, someone is kidnapped and the story takes a turn. It reminds me of how the last book went from saving the star stuff to saving the boys. A change in direction really helps the story as well as tests the relationships between characters. In this instance, between Molly and her father, in the last, between Molly and Peter.

TINKER BELL'S ADVENTURE

Tinker bell gets kidnapped and we see her perspective as she is brought to be sold to a collector. It was an interesting little story but I felt it didn't have any real relevance to the rest of the plot. We just needed to see how Tink escaped. The two side characters were interesting, but they were just never heard from again.

ANOTHER STORY

There is a side story back on the island which involves the boys being taken prisoner by Captain Hook. I didn't believe that Hook really planned to hurt them, so I kind of found this portion tedious. But to be fear, it's a small part of the book.

USE OF HUMOR

There were some instances of humor that worked quite well as they were refreshing in an otherwise quite serious story. I loved when Peter went to the post office with his scheme on how to find where the Aster's live. Not only was it hilarious but it was original as well.

There is a rivalry between Peter and George that caused me to smile on many occasions. They often took jabs at each other that were quite clever. And George's reaction to learning the truth about Peter was amusing as well.

JAMES BARRIE'S CAMEO

Jame Barrie himself makes a little appearance, with his St. Bernard, Porthos. He is actually quite important, as he saves Peter from being taken by the same young man who tricked him before. Although it does feel a little random. James learn's Peter's name, implying that's where he got the story idea (which is kind of hard to believe, as he knew nothing about Peter).

TOWER OF LONDON-VAGUE SPOILERS

Molly and Peter go to the tower of London, because Molly remembers her father often went their for business. From here on out, it's a mystery to find out just where her father is. There they meet another star catcher and end up being chased by Ombra. We witness a death of a character that will play an important role later as well as find a clue that George helps with later.

MOLLY AND HER FATHER

There is the real first bit of conflict between Molly and her Leonard, as Molly wants to save someone close to her, while her father believes that the star stuff must come first. This leads to a full blown fight where she is forbidden from leaving.

CLOSE CALL?

Ombra imitates a voice trying to trick Molly. The authors could have easily fallen into the trap of making their character suddenly an idiot so as to move the plot along and put her in danger. But luckily, we merely feel her sadness and Peter gently reminds her it's a trap.

CLIMAX-VAGUE SPOILERSS

Molly, George and Peter try to prevent Leonard from falling into a trap. They end up having to face a pack of wolves, as well as Ombra himself. Molly's mother is revealed and Leonard has to decide what is most important to him.

WINNING ON A WHIM?

Peter has to face Ombra and because he was shot, his wound allows him to focus on something else and not be overwhelmed by his enemy. I thought this was a little vague and kind of convenient. I didn't quite care for it, but it didn't ruin the story for me.

CONCLUSION

A sequel worthy of its predecessor, the story takes slightly slower to get started, but helps with plenty of suspense revolving around Ombra who is obviously our main villain.

From then on its fast paced, zipping back and forth between characters and planting hints at trouble to come.

Molly and Peter resume their friendship, but not without Peter wondering about his place in her world. And both get an ally in George, but not without a begrudging respect between the boys.

I give “Peter and the Shadow Thieves” four stars.